Robbing for heavy booze

THREE men from Lower Gweru allegedly presented themselves with a Christmas gift when they waylaid and robbed a fellow villager of $3 000 before going on a beer drinking spree.

The three, Tackforce Mpofu (24), Modern Dube (21) and Brighton Moyo (21), all from Beneti Village under Chief Bunina's area, were yesterday arraigned before Gweru provincial magistrate, Mr Thembinkosi Msipa to answer a charge of robbery.

They pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody to 27 January. The State presented by Mr Andrew Marimo alleges that on Christmas eve, the three accused waylaid Mr Macmillan Bhepe and robbed him of his cash.

He said the leader of the group, Mpofu and his co-accused Dube and Moyo, knew before hand that the complainant had some cash with him that night.

The court heard that at about 8pm, Mr Bhepe used a footpath on his way home when the three pounced on him.

Mr Marimo said the trio grabbed the complainant and searched his pockets. It is the State's case that the complainant screamed for help but Mpofu, Dube and Moyo all managed to escape with the $ 3 000.

Mr Marimo told the court that after robbing the complainant, Mpofu, who was the leader, allegedly took $1 000 and gave his two accomplices $400 each.

The court heard that the trio then went for a beer drinking spree at a number of townships where they blew the remainder of the money on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day.

Mr Marimo said Mr Bhepe reported the matter to the police who managed to track the trio to a local township in Lower Gweru where they were drinking beer.

Mr Bhepe managed to identify all the three accused soon after their arrest. Nothing was recovered.